Electric revolving sign



E. T. ZANGE ELECTRIC REVOLVING 51cm arch 17, 1936.

2 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 8, 1934 INVENTOR ATTORNEY March 17, 1936. E. T. ZANGE 2,034,660

ELECTRIC REVOLVING SIGN Filed Oct. 8, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ernafl T Zaizga INVENTOR ATTO RN EY Patented Mar. 17,1936

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC REVOLVING SIGN burgh, Pa.

Application October 8, 1934, Serial No. 747,427

1 Claim.

This invention relates to signs, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which will readily attract attention by providing a certain amount of a puzzle to the onlooker during a certain operation of the device and during another operation will clearly and attractively display a selected advertisement or the like easily readable and of such a construction that its installation may be had at any desired place and may be readily moved from one place to another.

With these and other objects in view this invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a front elevation illustrating a sign constructed in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view illustrating the same.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the operating means for the sign element.

Figure 4 is an end elevation illustrating the device.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view illustrating the sign element taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a similar view showing a modified form of a sign element.

Figure 8 is a similar view showing another modified form of sign element.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral I indicates a pedestal or support in the form of a casing closed at its upper end by a hinged cover 2 held in a closed position by suitable fasteners 3. Rising from the cover are spaced posts 4 of hollow formation to which is journaled a shaft 5 having secured thereto and operating between the posts a display panel 6. Mounted in the casing I is an electric motor I connected to the shaft by pulleys 8 and an endless belt 9. Also arranged within the casing is an electric lamp ID. The electric motor 1 and electric lamp H] are electrically connected in an electric circuit and arranged in said circuit is an automatic circuit interrupter ll of a conventional construction for the purpose of periodiclly opening and closing the circuit to the motor and electric lamp. The cover 2 may be of a transparent material so that the light rays from the electric lamp may be directed onto the panel and also one of the walls of the casing is equipped with a transparent panel 12 which may bear a suitable advertisement.

Applied to the panel 6 is a suitable advertisement in the form of words and the letters of the difierent words are so spaced and arranged on opposite faces of the panel that during non-rotation of the panel the letters will not complete the spelling of the advertisement. However, during the rotation of the panel the words of the advertisement become clearly visible. Thereby during one operation of the panel, that is, when the panel is non-rotating it renders a certain amount of a puzzle to the observer and during its other operation or ro'tation the words of the advertisement become readily readable. Due to the circuit interrupter H, the electric motor as well as the electric lamp will be in operation periodically causing a corresponding operation or rotation of the panel. A device of this character will readily attract attention and may be installed any place where electricity is available for the operation of the device.

As shown in Figure 8, the panel may consist of a compound curve or, as shown in Figure 7, the panel may have provision made to removably support the characters formulating the advertisement.

While the display panel has been described and shown as arranged horizontally it is to be understood that through minor alterations in the support this panel may be made to operate while positioned vertically or the panel may be employed 30 independent of the support and the electrical driving mechanism and used within the hands of a person as a novelty. When the device is employed in the last-named manner the shaft thereof is rotated by the fingers of a person. 35

Having described the invention, I claim:

A sign comprising a casing providing a pedestal and having an elongated opening in the top thereof, posts rising from said casing at the ends of the opening, a shaft journaled to said posts 40 and paralleling the opening, a character bearing panel secured to said shaft with the characters applied to opposite faces thereof and positioned to spell words of an advertisement during the rotation of the panel and to render said words non- 45 readable during non-rotation of the panel, an electric motor connected in an electric circuit and mounted in said casing, means for operatively connecting the motor to the shaft, an electric lamp in the circuit and mounted in the casing for illuminating the panel by way of the opening, and an automatic circuit interrupter in the casing and connected in said electric circuit to cause intermittent operation of the motor and illumination of the electric lamp.

ERNEST T. ZANGE. 

